Manufacture of golf-balls.



Patented May 6, I902.

E. KEMPSHALL. MANUFACTURE OF GULF BALLS.

v(Application filed Mar. 12, 1902.)

(No Model.)

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i Unirr STAT S @FFICEQ ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR T 0 THE KEMPSI-IALL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEWV JERSEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 699,623, dated May 6, 1902.

Application filed March 12, 1902.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ELEAZER KEMPSHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing in Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Manufacture of Golf- Balls, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the process of manufacturing playing-balls such as used in the game of golf and other games. Its object is to produce at low cost an eificient ball having the quality of being dead when given a light blow and exceedingly lively when struck a sharp blow.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view of a ball made according to my improvements, being partly broken away so as to exhibit its construction, and Fig. 2 illustrates a stage in the process of completing the ball.

I make a spherical core A, of gutta-percha, which is preferably introduced in a fluid condition and hardened within a suitable rubber envelop B, and I force'the gutta-percha into said envelop to such an extent as to mate'- rially expand said envelop, as set forth in a patent granted to Francis H. Richards, March 25, 1902, No. 696,351, whereby the envelop, especially the exterior portion thereof, is put under a state of high longitudinal tension, as indicated by broken curved lines 0. The interior portion of the envelop is then compressed by the exterior portion, as indicated by the radial lines D, so that the core is held constantly under compression by said envelop. The combination of compressed core and distended envelop enhances the efficiency of the ball when struck a heavy blow. How ever, if desired, soft rubber may be otherwise employed for inclosing a core.

Upon the compound core of rubber and gutta-percha thus formed I place a shell or sphere E, of gotta-percha, preferably in the form of hollow hemispheres,the joint between them being indicated at F. Upon this shell I apply a coating of material G, said coating completely enveloping the gutta -percha sphere and consisting of a thick or dense solutionof celluloid, or composition thereof, which is in such a plastic or fluid condition Serial No. 97,888. (No model.)

that'it may be spread in a substantially even and somewhat thin layer. In practice I find that if this coating is one one-hundredth of an inch, more or less, in thickness it may answer the purpose. The coating is then allowed to dry to a snfficient extent so that it can be handled safely.- This drying effects a preliminary seasoning of the coating material. It will be understood that the material dried out or evaporated from this coating cannot at the subsequent heating and finishing operation work into the interior of the ball, to the detriment thereof. Vhen said coating G has become sufficiently hardened, I apply a second coating H over the ball, which in turn is allowed to dry until it attains the required firmness. I then apply a third coating J, which is likewise allowed to dry. In this manner one or more additional layers may be successively applied, according to the style of ball in hand; In practicel find that three layers, or at the most four layers, produce a casing of satisfactory qualities when the ball is intended for use in the game of golf, provided that the casing so built up is supported upon a filling of suitable material and having theproper firmness. The ball thusbuiltnp is placed in finishing-dies K and L and subjected to both heat and compression. In practice I prefer that the ball when placed in the dies shall be somewhat oversize, so that as the die -sections are broughttogether they compress the ball, thereby efiec ting a twofold purpose-first, to compress the core, so that it may always exert an outward elastic pressure upon the finished shell, and, second, to subject the material of the casing to compression as well as heat, thereby solidifying the material of the casingitself, so that it may have the qualities of resistance, firmness, indestructibility, and springiness, which are desirable in a golfball. The heat and pressure may be applied for a considerable period, so that the ball may be well seasoned. a

The heating of the dies by softening the coatings G, H, and J not only insures the kneading or welding of such coating'into one integral casing M, but also facilitates the flowing of the material, so that the shape of the dies is imparted to the finished ball. The ball may be allowed to cool while under compression, so that the gutta-percha shell and ;the celluloid casing thereon when removed necessity for first rolling the celluloid into sheets and then cutting the sheets into disks and cupping them is avoided, and the trouble and expense of securing a perfect weld between the shell joints is also avoided.

Preferably the heat is sufficient to also soften the gutta-percha shell E and enable it toweld at the joint F.

shell upon the compound rubber and guttapercha core, which possesses great strength I thus form a double and durability. The gutta-percha is thus caused to form one complete sphere, as at E, and the celluloid another complete covering, as at M. I

The pressure of'the dies compacts and solidifiesboth the celluloid and gutta-percha components of the shell, the confined rubber and gutta-percha being sufficiently resisting to support the comparatively weak material of theshell under any desired degree of pres- I sure of the forming-dies.

By providing a backing of gutt'a-percha in the shell I am enabled to employa relatively thin compound plate of celluloid for the outer covering, thereby not only reducing the expense, but also making it possibleto use celluloid in its most effective form, since a thin plate of this material possesses valuable characteristics not foundpor at leastimperfectly developed, in a thick plate. For one thing, a thin cover of celluloid may be better seasoned than a thick or massive cover, and it is more springy and pliant, while possessing the same wear-resisting, smooth, waterproof, and other qualities which render the ball desirable in the game of golf. At the same time I am enabled to use in the shell a large mass of gutta-percha,which possesses to asuperlative degree the quality of storing up force from ablow, which is necessary in a golf-ball. It will be understood that it is im: portant in View of the small size of the ball used in this game and the necessity of its carrying or flying a great distance to use in its construction such a combination of materials as will utilize to advantage every portion of the mass of the ball, or, in other words, it is important to eliminate all dead weight therefrom. Hence it is desirable not only to provide a core or filling having the desired qualities, but also to provide therefor a shell which not only protects said filling, but also itself contributes in a large degree to the flying power or efficiency of the ball, whilepreventing a light blow from affecting'the highly elastic interior. This desideratum is obtained in thisinstance by reducing the thickness of the celluloid cover, so as to retain only enough thereof to provide a wear-resist ing, waterproof, and otherwise satisfactory exterior for the balls, and lining such cover with arelativelythick mass of gutta-percha, which not only has great carrying power, but is tough. The celluloid overcomes the objections to'the use of a plain gutta-percha exterior, while all the advantages of the gutta-percha are retained.

One important advantage of my celluloid casing or cover resides in its quality of retaining its original color throughout all the severe usage which it receives in a game. The compressed compound core gives the entire shell a good backing at all points and tends to prevent such indentations of the shell by an implement as would cause the shell to crack. The celluloid casing is not only practically indestructible, but it is at the same time so smooth that it offers little resistance to the air in its 'flight. It drives farther than any ball heretofore produced, while on account of its slipperiness it easily travels through grass and is hence excel lently adapted to the game. It overcomes the defect of prior golf-balls of being easily cut out by a blow from an implement.

In vusing the term celluloid I refer to celluloid compounds generally and do not limit myself to any particular variety of such compound nor to any particular grade or mixture of pyroxylin composition.

Variations in construction, material, method, and other particulars may be resorted to within the scope of my present improvements. A gutta-percha and celluloid shell may be otherwise formed within the scope of my improvements and may be used with other fillin gs than those herein specifically mentioned.

Having described my invention, I claim- 1. A process in producing a playing-ball, consisting'in forming a rubber sphere, covering said sphere with a gutta-percha shell, applying plastic or fluid coating to said shell, and hardening said coating so as to form a casing upon said shell.

2. A process in making a playing-ball, consisting in forming a yielding core, covering said core with hemispherical segments of gutta-percha, covering the latter with a plastic or fluid coating, hardening said coating so as to form a casing, and compressing said casing upon the ball.

3. A process in making a playing-ball, consisting in placing a yielding core within a gutta-percha shell, covering the whole with a celluloid solution, and effecting a hardening and compression of said coating under heat, so as to form a casing upon the shell.

4. A process in making a playing-ball, consisting in covering a soft core with a guttapercha shell, covering the shell'with successive layers of celluloid, hardening one layer whereof the outerportion consists ofadistendbefore the next is applied, and applying ed rubber envelop, a shell consisting at least thereto simultaneously heat and compression, partially of compressed gutta-percha,adding a so as to compact the same into a stiff, springy plurality of layers, one after another, offluid 5 casing. or plastic material, drying or partially cur- 2o 5. A process in making aplaying-ball, coning one layer before another is applied, and sisting in applying a gutta-peroha shell to a I subjecting the whole to heat and compression rubber core, covering said shell with succesl to an extent to Weld said layers and place sive layers of plastic or fluid material, and said rubber envelop under compression; and

I0 hardening each layer before the casing is apmaintaining the compression while the ball 2 5 plied, then subjecting the whole to heat and cools.

compression and maintaining the compres- ELEAZER KEMPSHALL. siou While the ball cools. Witnesses:

6. A process in making a playing-ball, con- B. O. STICKNEY,

15 sisting in applying upon a compound core JOHN O. SEIFERT. 

